Family Troubles
by iloveedegrassi
Summary: "Don't leave me, okay? You're all I've got left now."; Clare has been having family troubles at home , she felt at home with him.. I guess this is considered a one shot?


Leaning against the closed door of her bedroom, Clare listened to her parents bickering and yelling. Nothing new. As used to it as she was, she hated it, she didn't have the complete family she used to love being around, she only had the comfort of her home and at the moment, she didn't want to be there either. She went back to her bed and closed the book she had been currently reading. She texted Eli asking to come over, she couldn't stand being anywhere near her parents. A few seconds letter Eli replied telling her it was okay, asking if everything was okay. She decided against answering and walked downstairs and out the door without her parents noticing. Her parents had been fighting about her, deciding that when they are officially divorced, who will get their fair share of Clare amd when. She hated the feeling of being in the middle of a game of tug-of-war, but that's just the way things were now, it didn't matter what she said or how she felt, they still argued. They always pressured her asking who she would rather be with or to do things with one parent and not the other. Clare loved them equally, making it harder for her to choose. Her only escape from it was when she was with Eli, she felt at home with

She walked up the few steps to Eli's front door. As soon as she went to knock, Eli was already at the door to greet her.

"Hey." he said with a smile.

"Hi," Clare whispered, "can I come in... or are you gonna leave me out here in the hot sun?" She looked up at the sky, the sun just about to set.

He smirked and grabbed her hand, closing the door behind him. He led her to the couch and plopped down on the couch.

"Would you like to watch a movie tonight? Your choice." He asked, smiling at her. He knew something was wrong by the look on her face when she arrived, but didn't want to ask just yet, not wanting her to be more upset or angry then she was, whatever it was about.

She nodded, stood up, and walked over to where Eli kept his DVD's, knowing she had left a few at his home from previous movie nights, she picked out the movie _Sixteen Candles_ and handed it to Eli.

"Sounds good." he smiled

"Are your parents home tonight?" Clare asked

"Nah, not tonight, they decided on going on a romantic date tonight," Eli laughed, "In my opinion, I think they are getting too old for that stuff." Eli joked, putting the disc into the DVD player.

Clare gave a slight smile, still upset about her parents arguing earlier that evening. Eventually she'll be comfortable in Eli's arm watching one of her favorite movies, things would be alright again, until she would eventually have to go home.

Eli's thoughts were on something else besides the movie. He knew that Clare was upset, he could see it in her face. He decided to not pay as much attention to the movie and more attention towards Clare. The movie started and she laid against Eli, wrapping his arm around her. Clare loved this movie, always had. Later into the movie Eli started to push his attention towards Clare, kissing her head, down to her forehead, to her nose, then pressed his lips to her's. She gave him a brief kiss, then turned her attention back to the film. Eli frowned, attempting to drive her attention away from the movie currently playing. Eli trailed kisses down her arm then back up, kissing her neck, jawline, and lips again, then going to the ears, biting gently on her earlobes. She pulled away, she wasn't in the mood to do anything much besides keeping her mind on the movie. This time Eli unraveled his arm around Clare's, pushing her gently on her back, laying on top of her. He pressed his lips to Clare and she did the same, he felt satisfied, he only wanted to make her happy. He trailed a few brief kisses down her neck, sucking gently, then down her arms and back up. After a few moments, Clare pulled away while Eli was still trying to kiss her.

"No, Eli, st-" was all she got out until Eli caught her lips. She tried pushing Eli off of her, even though she knew he was stronger than she was. He put his weight on her just enough so she couldn't push him off, pressing his lips to her's, running his hands up under her shirt, feeling the softness of her skin.

"Eli, let me go!" She finally squirmed out from underneath him and looked at Eli from across the couch, noticing a look of confusion on his face. 

"Not now Eli, alright?" She turned her head back to the screen, continuing to watch the film. Eli frowned, realizing Clare must have been real upset about whatever it is that happened earlier. Eli watched her, trying to search her face but found nothing.

"Come here." He said, motioning her to come back into his arms. She crawled back over to Eli and wiggled herself back into his arms, that was all she wanted.

"Clare, what's on your mind?" He asked, finally deciding to find out what the problem was.

She shrugged, "This movie.. you." Eli smiled to her reply.

"Me? Am I that special to be on your mind?" He joked, smiling. She looked back up at him, giving a smile in return.

"But really," he said in a serious tone, "if something was bugging you, you'd tell me, right?"

"Nothing's wrong Eli," she replied simply "don't worry." She laced her fingers with his and rubbed her thumb across his hand. Eli pouted. Maybe there was nothing wrong. Maybe it was just him. Eli went over to trail kisses along her body but she moved away at the touch of lips.

"If nothing is wrong.. then why won't you let me kiss you?" He said, mentally sighing. Clare turned towards him, pressing her lips against his, Eli returned the kiss. Clare grabbed Eli and pulled him on top of her, kissing him passionatley, brushing her fingers through his hair. Moments later she pulled away, laying on her back with Eli on top of her, he pushed her bangs out of her face with a smile.

"Happy now?" Clare asked.

"Are you only kissing me to get me off your case? he asked, his smile fading. Clare turned her head away from Eli but he grabbed her face gently pulling her attention back to him yet she still refused to make eye contact with him.

"Clare, look at me." he directed, Clare hesitated than did was she was told.

"What." She said, a slight attitude in her voice.

Eli shrugged it off, "Why don't you tell me what your problem is?"

"And if I don't have a problem..then I have nothing to say to you.", she stated.

"Clare." Eli glared at her, then dropped down on the couch by her side.

"It's just.." she started, "the usual."

"The usual being..?" Eli asked

"Problems at home, Eli. Alright? Nothing new. It's not a big deal, not like it hasn't happened before and it's not like it will stop anytime soon. I have no where to go to feel safe or happy. Eli.. I can't even sit my own home, my own bedroom without hearing my parents yelling 24/7. I try to stay away from home for as long as I possibly could. There is that phrase, _Home is where the heart is._ Why doesn't it feel like that? I lose sleep because of it, I lose hope that maybe.. just maybe my parents will put aside their differences and fall in love again. That we can be a happy family, that's all I want.. all I want is all I can't have." She sighed, her eyes becoming teary. She tends to get emotional whenever family problems come up, she just wants to have a happy normal family, but that can't and won't happen.

Eli frowned, he hating seeing Clare upset. He didn't have the right advice for her, he can't change the way her family acted, the way her parents felt about each other.. if he could he would in a heartbeat, but he can't.

"Clare.. things change, it doesn't always mean they get better. Sometimes it's for the better, sometimes it's for the worst. I think right now.. their divorce is for the better. It will make them happier and if it doesn't make you so happy... well atleast you don't have to go through the hours of fighting when they are seperated. Sometimes.. love doesn't last forever, sadly, that's just the way things are."

By then, a few tears had rolled down the side of her cheeks. She turned to face Eli and burried her face in his chest, getting his shirt wet with her tears. Eli wrapped his arms around her tightly, rubbing her back to soothe her, listening to her sobs.

"Shh.. Clare.. it will be okay.." he whispered, "you've still got me."

Clare looked up at Eli and gave a soft smile, lifting her head up to kiss him, Eli kissed her back. Clare gripped onto Eli tightly, afraid that if she let go, he'd be gone in an instant too.

She looked back up at him, "Don't leave me, okay? You're all I've got left now." He nodded sadly, brushing his fingers through her hair.

"Eli.." he looked down at her, "I love you."

"I know Clare. I love you too."


End file.
